12 days of cookies: Day 13 - Chocolate crinkle cookie

Whilst you're still scratching your head in confusion, asking yourself how there are 13 days in the 12 days of cookies (haven't you heard of a baker's dozen?), I'll go right ahead and share the final recipe in this series.  It's a special one, a newbie just for you.

Chocolate crinkle cookies! 

Sometimes the universe tries to give us subtle hints that evolve into a slap across the face until we finally get the message.  That's what happened with these cookies.

First, I saw them flipping through my Betty Crocker Cooky Book a few weeks ago but was in the final days of wedding planning.  Then, I noticed that Iowa Girl Eats posted about them last week but became distracted with work and writing thank you notes.  Finally, the universe had had enough and pulled out all the stops.  There, on a gorgeous platter at coffee hour after church on Sunday were chocolate crinkle cookies.  [muffled mumbling amidst chewing]  "These are amaaaaaaaaazing!" I proclaimed.

I finally stopped fighting nature and got to work playing in the kitchen.  Best. Decision. Ever!

Long before a cookie was finished, I knew these were going to be epic because they passed the dough test.  Fudgy, chocolatey, and sooooooooo rich.  A little sampling does a body good.

While these hands were made for baking, my dear husband's were made for photography.  Being a newlywed has its advantages, one of which being that Matt ran when I started yelling from the kitchen.  "What's wrong?" he asked.  "Um, husband, could you please take a picture of my hands?  I'm too messy to touch the camera."  Isn't he (and his photo-bombing foot) the best?  A brief round of applause for Matt's picture skills.  A-thank-you.

But, back to the goods.  Roll 'em up, pop 'em in the oven, and watch 'em expand.  Little masterpieces, aren't they?  Except that one.  It looks like it was on the losing end of a kitchen battle with an elf. 

Talk about festive and pretty cookies.  No need for red and green sprinkles here.  Don't they look like they just came directly from the North Pole?
Chocolatey crags with a dusting of powder(ed sugar).  They're dense and chewy and for serious chocolate lovers!  But, make Forget Santa and save these all for yourself :)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
(adapted from AllRecipes.com)
-makes 36 cookies

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar

In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat together cocoa, sugar, vanilla and vegetable oil.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is smooth.  In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix into wet ingredients in 3 batches, mixing until just combined in between each batch. Cover the dough and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scoop out 1 Tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball between your palms and roll in powdered sugar.  Place on a parchment paper-lined (or coated with nonstick spray) baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.   Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.  Store in sealed container at room temperature for up to one week.